02.01.07 – By Michael Marley, BoxingConfidential.com: NEW YORK–That little bit of egotistical doggerel is what you hear when call trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. Let’s face it, he’s not the kind of guy who likes to hide his light under a bushel. False modesty is not his shtick. He would probably tell you he’s the supreme trainer east of the Mississippi as well.
Some less informed types may think Papa M is sitting around, moping and wondering if Oscar de la Hoya is going to give him the axe before Oscar starts training for his May 5 super fight date against Senior’s prodigal son who has not returned. Nothing could be further from the truth as Mayweather is training a string of fighters at the Top Rank Gym in Vegas, including his newest prize pupil, undefeated light heavyweight contender bad Chad Dawson. Dawson, 24, one of Gary Shaw’s soaring young stars, challenges tough as nails Pole and WBC champ Tomasz Ademek Feb. 3 on Showtime at the Miami Arena. Manager Mike Criscio, who like his fighter lives in New Haven, tells boxingconifdential.com that the boxer-trainer marriage is working great.
“We were talking about trainers and I mentioned that Joe Goossen is a good one and that Floyd Sr. is a good one,” Criscio said..
“When I mentioned the Mayweather name, Chad reacted. Chad said, ‘Let’s get him.’ So that is why Chad is out in Vegas now working with Floyd. I mean this guy has forgotten more than most trainers around today will ever know.
“We hooked up about a month ago. I like Floyd’s old-time style and so does Chad. Floyd is going over all of Chad’s mechanics and smoothing things out defensively and offensively. We had worked on Chad’s body strength, especially the arms and back where his power comes from. Floyd is doing the mechanics and making Chad an all-around better fighter. I must talk to Floyd about ten times a day. Everything has been a plus with Floyd.”
Observers think the lunch pail style of Adamek could make for a rugged night for southpaw Dawson but his manager disagrees.
“I understand it’s the other guy who is looking past Chad,” Criscio said. “This guy is open to a lot of punches and he will be open to Chad’s jabs, hooks and uppercuts. We hear the other guy is looking past us to a June fight against Glen Johnson. Johnson stuck up for us in the Polish papers and said they better not look past Chad. And Glen and Chad don’t even know each other like that.
(mlcmarley@aol.com ) Michael’s Marley’s poetic description of his amateur and college ring career was “float like a butterfly, sting like a moth.)